Mechanism for weighing liquids.



W. i. STAAF.

Patented Sept. 11,1917.

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MECHANISM FOR WEIGHING LIQUIDS. APPLICATION HLED JUNE I0. 1916.

1,239,839. Patented Sept 11 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

WITNESSES INVENTOR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WERNER I. STAAF, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 EDWARD B. TYLER, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

MECHANISM FOR WEIGHING LIQUIDS.

Application filed. June 10, 1916.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WERNER I. STAAF, of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Mechanisms for 'Weighing Liquids, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section of one form of mechanism embodying my invention; and

Figs. 2 and 3 are similar views showing a portion of the mechanism in different positions.

The present invention is more particularly designed as an improvement over the mechanism which is shown and described in the prior patent to lVerner I. Staaf, the applicant herein, No. 1,082,611, dated December 30, 1913, and the patent to E. B. Tyler and the present applicant, No. 1,092,082, dated March 31, 191 1.

One object of the present invention is to provide escapement means of improved character for automatically controlling the discharge of the filled buckets, whereby the operation of the mechanism will be rendered more certain and effective. A further object of the invention is to improve the shape of the buckets employed and to provide a bucket so constructed and arranged that there will be the shortest possible period of time required in diverting the liquid to be weighed I from one bucket to another with a minimum tendency to splash.

In the accompanying drawings, the numeral 2 designates the casing of the meter, which is provided with suitable bearings for the meter shaft. The upper portion of the casing has the receiving chamber 3, provided with the approximately central elongated bottom discharge opening 4, substantially as in said Patent No. 1,082,614.

In accordance with my present invention, one end portion of the meter shaft is provided with a cam wheel 5, having thereon a plurality of cam surfaces, one for each bucket 6. Each of these cam surfaces is of gradually increasing radius in the direction of rotation of the bucket, and terminates at its high end in a stop projection 7, whose outer edge projects beyond the peripheral surface of the cam portion. Cooperating Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 11., 191'7.

Serial No. 102,878.

with this cam wheel is a lever 8, fulcrumed at 9 and having an antifriction roller 10, arranged to travel on the cam wheel. The arm of the lever which carries said roller is pro vided with an adjustable weight 11. The other arm of the lever has a vertical slot at 12, which engages the pin or stud 13, carried by a cylinder 14, which telescopes over a plunger member 15, pivoted to the casing of the meter at 16.

The plunger member 15 has an air inlet port 1?, extending therethrough and controlled by the upwardly opening check valve 17. Said plunger member also has an escape port 18, the lower portion of which is designed to be moved into and out of register with an escape or opening 19, in the cylinder member 1 1.

The slot 12 is preferably made of suchv length as to have a clearance substantially proportional to the amount of the projection of the outer edge of each of the stops 7 beyond the adjacent peripheral cam portion of the cam wheel 5.

The buckets 6 are of generally triangular form in transverse cross section and are so constructed that the rear wall 6" of each bucket is in radial relation to the center of the meter shaft, the bottom wall 6 being at substantially right angles to the wall 6 throughout the major portion of its length, but preferably curved somewhat, as at 6, at its outer end.

By reason of this shape and construction of the buckets, it will be readily seen, by reference to Fig. 1, that the bottom wall 6 of a following bucket will act to divert the liquid entering through the slot 4 into the pre ceding bucket 6, in the horizontal filling-position, while such bucket is being held in that position by the engagement of the antifriction roller 10 with one of the stops 7. IV hen each bucket becomes filled with a predetermined weight of liquid regulated by the adjustment of the weight 11, the action of the stop 7 against the roller 10 will be overcome, and the shaft and buckets will commence rotating, as indicated in Fig. 2, to move the filled bucket to discharging position. It will be apparent that almost immediately after the bottom of the next following bucket ceases to divert the liquid into the filled bucket, such following bucket, owing to its shape, will be brought into position to receive the discharge; also that by this construction and arrangement, splashing of the liquid will be largely prevented.

After the roller 10 passes over the stop to the position shown in Fig. 3, the shaft will rotate quickly through the next substantially ninety degrees to bring the next bucket into filling position, the roller 10 riding up one of the cam surfaces. lVhen the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 3, the cylinder ll has been pulled upwardly, so that the ports 18 and 1.9 are out of register. During the next substantially ninety degrees of movement, the arm of the lever to which the cylinder is attached will be moved downwardly as the roller rides up cam. As the roller rides up the cam, the arm 8 moves freely until the top of the slot 12 engages the pin 13, after which the cylinder 14 is forced downwardly a short distance quickly compressingthe air therein, until the cam wheel is brought to rest by the engagement of the roller 10 by one of the stops 7. The rise of the'cam and the length of the slot 12 are preferably so proportioned that the top of the slot 12 engages the pin 13 near the end of the movement of the cam wheel, that the last part of the movement of the roller over the rise of the cam serves to brake the cam wheel before the Wheel is brought torest by the en agement of the roller 1.0 by the stop 7. "l his results in a quick movement of the cam wheel as the roller 10 rides onto the top of the stop 7 and continuing until the braking 0f the cam wheel which "occurs when the roller 10 has ridden up the cam 5 far enough to cause pin 13 to be engaged by the top of the slot 12.

It will be noted that it is during the first part of this quicker movement of the cam wheel, that the edge of the uppermost bucket passes across the slot -fl, thus providing a quick cutting out and in of the buckets, which takes place immediately after the bucket wheel begins its movement. Moreover, the slot 4 is so arranged substantially vertically above the bucket shaft and the buckets are so shaped that a bucket which is about to empty as shown in Fig. 2 will not begin to empty until the edge of the uppermost bucket has passed across the slot 4, thus insuring that all of the liquid is weighed. When the cylinder is moved from the ]')o sition shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. the air is drawn in through the passage 17, past the check valve 17. and is trapped by saidvalve within the cylinder. During the time that the roller 10 remains in contact with theneXtstop 7, the weight of the cylinder will gradually cause it to move down to the position shown in Fig. 1, this movement being permitted by the clearance in the slot 12', u'ntilthe ports 18 and 19 are again brought into register. Therefore, at the time the apparatus is again ready to trip, these parts are in register so as to permit the relatively free escape of air from the cylinder, and thus permit the roller 10 to ride over the stop.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the cylinder and plunger form an effective controlling device acting in the nature of a dash-pot. It is of great importance in the operation of this device that the apparatus shall not trip 'until the predetermined weight of Liquid has b en collected in each bucket, since otherwise, the accuracy of the results obtained would be seriously aflectcd. is al o nec ss ry t u d aga n t n possibility of spinning of the bucket shaflt after it has been released and to insure that the next bucket shall be stopped in the correct filling position. These operations are properly insured by the provision of controlling mechanism described, since it will be aparent that the air trapped in the cylinder 14 will act as an effective brake upon the cam wheel until such time as ,sa' cylinder moves to a position to bring til: P l-t 18 a d 9 t W I do not desire to limit myself to the tails of constructipn and arrangement of life several parts which I have herein shown and described, as it will be obvious that various changes may be made in such details, without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus for weighin liquids, the combination with a rotary shat having a plurality of liquid-receiving buckets orcceptacles, of a controlling device for sa' shaft and buckets, said device comprising a cam member having projecting stops, 8. weighted lever in engagement with the cam member, and a dash-phi; device connected to .saidlever, substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus for weighing liquids,

the combination with a, rotary shaft havin a bucket, of a cam wheel connected to i shaft and having a cam surface 0 gradua 1y increasing radius and terminating in a stop whose outer edge projectsbevond the cam surface, a weighted lever cooperating with the cam, and a dash-pot device connected in, said lever, substantially as described.

3. an apparatus for Wcighin liquids, the 'combinationwlith a rotary sha t havin a bucket, of a cam wheel connected to shaft and having a cam surface of gradually increasing radius and terminating in a stop Whose out d e b ies eyond h am surface, a weighted lever cooperating with the cam. and a dash-pot device connected to said lever, said dash-pot device comprising telescoping cylinder and plunger members hav ng escape ports arranged to be oved 1nto and out of register, substantial ,y as described. I i

I. In an apparatus for weighing liquids, the combination with a rotary shaft having a plurality of buckets or receptacles, of a cam member connected to said shaft, said member having a plurality of cam surfaces, each of which is of gradually increasing radius in the direction of rotation of said member, a pivoted lever having one arm engaging the cam wheel, and a dash-pot device connected to said lever and having escape openings arranged to be moved into and out of register with each other, substantially as described.

5. In mechanism of the character described, the combination of a bucket shaft, a cam member connected to said shaft, a weighted lever adapted to engage the cam member, and a dash pot device having a movable member provided with a lost motion connection with said lever, substantially as described.

6. In mechanism of the character described, the combination of a bucket shaft, a cam member connected to said shaft, a weighted lever adapted to'engage the cam member, a cylinder having a pin-and-slot connection with said lever, and a plunger over which the cylinder telescopes, said plunger having a valved inlet and the plunger and cylinder having cooperating escape ports, substantially as described.

7. In an apparatus for weighing liquids, a bucket shaft and a bucket carried thereby, said bucket being of generally triangular form in transverse cross section having an inner wall in substantially radial relation to said shaft and having a relatively longer bottom wall at substantially right angles to said inner wall, substantially as described.

8. In an apparatus for weighing liquids, a bucket shaft and a bucket carried thereby, said bucket being of generally triangular form in transverse cross section having an inner wall in substantially radial relation to said shaft and having a substantially flat bottom wall at substantially right angles to said inner wall, and said bottom wall being curved inwardly at its outer end portion, substantially as described.

9. In an apparatus for weighing liquids, a bucket shaft having a plurality of buckets attached thereto and rotating in a step by step movement, and a discharge opening for discharging the liquid to be weighed to the buckets at a point substantially vertically above the shaft, the bottom walls of the buckets being so inclined that the bottom wall of a bucket which is uppermost and substantially vertical will divert the liquid from the discharge opening into the next preceding bucket, substantially as described.

10. In an apparatus for weighing liquids, a bucket shaft having a plurality of buckets attached thereto, and a discharge opening for discharging the liquid to be weighed to the buckets, the buckets being of a generally triangular form in cross section with inclined bottoms so constructed and arranged with reference to the discharge opening that the bottom of an upright bucket immediately beneath the discharge opening will divert the liquid to the next preceding bucket, substantially as described.

11. In an apparatus for weighing liquids, a bucket shaft having a plurality of buckets attached thereto, a discharge opening for discharging the liquid to be weighed to the buckets, means for causing the bucket shaft to rotate in a step by step movement and operating to arrest a bucket with its edge beneath and in close proximity to the dis charge opening, so as to receive liquid upon a slight initial movement of the bucket shaft in the next subsequent step of its movement, substantially as described.

12. In an apparatus for weighing liquids, a bucket shaft having a plurality of buckets attached thereto, a discharge opening for discharging the liquid to be weighed to the buckets, means for causing the bucket shaft to rotate in a step by step movement operating to check theedge of a bucket beneath and in close proximity to the discharge opening and to cause the edge of said bucket to pass quickly across said discharge opening at the beginning of the subsequent step of the movement of the bucket shaft, and thereafter gradually check and finally stop the movement of the bucket, substantially as described.

13. In an apparatus for weighing liquids, a bucket shaft having a plurality of buckets attached thereto, a discharge opening for discharging the liquid to be weighed to the buckets at a point substantially vertically above the shaft, means for causing the shaft to rotate in a step by step movement and operating to arrest a bucket with its edge beneath and in close proximity to the discharge opening and to cause the edge of the bucket to quickly pass across the discharge opening on the next subsequent movement of the bucket shaft, the buckets being so shaped that the bottom wall of the bucket whose edge is arrested in proximity to the discharge opening will divert the liquid from the discharge opening forwardly into the next preceding bucket, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

WERNER I. STAAF.

Witnesses Geo. H. PARMELEE, H. M. CORWIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0." 

